Disturbed by the acute lack of infrastructure in Kauru Local Government, the Kaduna State Government has declared a state-of-emergency on the area to address the deficit.
The government also constituted a seven-member committee to work with the locals to identify and execute critical projects that would open up the area and bring succor to its residents.
The committee, according to Dr. Isaac Auta, member representing Kauru Constituency at the Kaduna House of Assembly, is chaired by the Commissioner of Rural Development, Hajia Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa
“Governor Nasir El-rufa’i declared the state-of-emergency on infrastructure development in Kauru when he visited the area and discovered that it was left far behind in all spheres of basic development.
“He was very shocked when he discovered that there was no sign of development in any part of the local government,” Auta told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, in Kaduna.
He quoted El-rufaí as directing the area’s three chiefdoms – Chawai, Kumana and Kauru – to identify critical projects to be undertaken, and submit same to the committee for urgent consideration and action.
Auta identified the most critical areas of need to include roads, bridges, culverts, schools, hospitals and electricity.
He added that most areas had no access to GSM communication services, saying that the state government had met with some communication outfits on the matter.
The law maker regretted that the area had remained “neglected and left very far behind” by successive administrations “in spite of monies allocated for its development”, and described the situation as “sad and embarrassing”.
He said that the situation had only worsened the poverty in the rural settlements as the dwellers had been unable to transport farm produce like rice, sugar cane, ginger and yam to the markets.
Auta said that government was particularly worried about key roads like Bakin Kogi-Kiffin-Manchok, Kadage-Galadimawa and Rumaya-Lere West, and explained that he was working with his colleagues from Kaura and Lere constituencies to make them a priority.
On his achievements, Auta said he had attracted some road rehabilitation projects to Kauru, Chawai, Mariri and Kumana, and secured employment for many youths across the area.
He said that 11 Primary Health Centres were being been upgraded through his efforts, while 600 rural dwellers undertook surgeries to cure various ailments via his free medical outreach.
The law maker also reacted to allegations that the Kaduna House of Assembly was merely a rubber stamp to decisions by the executive arm.
“Such opinion comes from subjective impressions; it is not an objective opinion based on a fair assessment with verifiable facts.
“We carry out our duties as legislators and cannot satisfy everybody. We have a smooth working relationship with other arms of government based on mutual respect.
“We believe that the achievements recorded so far are based on such togetherness. Some decisions are the prerogative of the governor and should be left to him. We shall not seek to fight just because people want to see us fighting,” he said.
Auta said that the APC inherited a “crumbled Nigeria” but had tried to restore hope to the citizens by checking areas of waste and changing the general feeling that governance was synonymous with stealing.
“We have blocked leakages through the Treasury Single Account, eliminated impunity, established special courts to try corruption cases, cleared arrears of salaries and tackled the ghost workers syndrome.
“We have also tackled insecurity and restored the dignity of Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said. (NAN)
